TA-THREATS: Senator Closes Office In Face of Terror Prospect

Senator Mark Dayton has closed his Capitol Hill office until after the elections citing an intelligence report showing a credible threat.



I just learned of this story on CNN, and the man Wolf Blitzer was speaking with about it said that Mr. Dayton is over-reacting. No other members of Congress have closed their offices.

To further reinforce the over-reaction claim, Bill Frist has said that there have been no new threats in the last four to six weeks.

Related News Links:
bradenton.com

[edit on 12-10-2004 by Banshee]

This concerns me. They are closing the office? Is this the only office that is being closed or are there others?

There has got to be a substantial threat in order for them to close for that long.

Could this be just a campaign trick? No new evidence in the last 4 to 6 weeks.

From the article:

Dayton said he could not give details of the intelligence report, which he said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., presented to senators at a briefing two weeks ago.

Frist told reporters later that he didn't know of any other senator who had closed their office.

"There has been no new information over the last five to six weeks," he said, referring to intelligence.

What a great reason to take time off.

I wonder if Kerry could use this excuse, for missing all of the senate hearings, and meetings we pay him to be at.

Originally posted by snagltooth
What a great reason to take time off.

I wonder if Kerry could use this excuse, for missing all of the senate hearings, and meetings we pay him to be at.

nah, his excuse is quite a valid one; He's running for president, its not possible to be at the senate AND run for the office at the same time. I don't know why people keep complaining about him missing time, it happens when you run for an office like he is.

Off topic:

Guess Kerry should have resigned since he isn't able to effectively conduct the duties of his post while campaigning then.. such as Bob Dole did a couple years back I believe. It's not like he needs the money, and he isn't doing the job while campaigning....even supporters concede that point. I mean it would seem logical if he had the best interests of the people at heart right?

On topic:

I hold suspect the action since this representative isnt privy to any information the others are not I assume. I don't buy it, sorry. just my two cents.

Since that link is subscription and I didn't realize it here's another link to the story: www.bradenton.com...

Guess Kerry should have resigned since he isn't able to effectively conduct the duties of his post while campaigning then..

To keep things balanced, then, I suppose you'd agree that George Bush should also quit his job as Presdient since he is spending all his time campaigning. There goes the incumbency advantage!

Back on topic.......


This is serious when a member of Congress bails from the city. If he has good reason, then many should be worried. If he is just paranoid, then it calls into question his leadership ability. And, if he is doing this as a political stunt, he should be prosecuted.

I'm not sure which one to hope for. The first is scary. The second, sad. The last, an outrage.

Originally posted by dubiousone

Guess Kerry should have resigned since he isn't able to effectively conduct the duties of his post while campaigning then..

To keep things balanced, then, I suppose you'd agree that George Bush should also quit his job as Presdient since he is spending all his time campaigning. There goes the incumbency advantage!

I agree that it affects his job, yes. However, he isn't tethered due to voting duties. He also has the advantage of all those wonderful communication toys we pay for, and a huge group of people who make his office wherever he plants his rear lol. This allows him the advantage to manage his job wherever he is. The position Kerry holds does not have that advantage. So I do see it both ways I enjoyed the incumbancy remark too Fair point !

Ok ok topical discussion .. I've poked around a bit more online and I can't see anyone else that really agrees with this representatives assessment. I don't want to call it a political stunt, I mean there really isn't evidence of that. To be honest if it were, it isn't seeming to be that effective anyway. I would label this a bad judgement call or something maybe. If I werent the lazy slob I am, I would research the guy's voting record, and recent history of bill support etc. Gotta be a clue in there somewhere..

Maybe Senator Dayton, Has benn watching the movie "Deep Impact" to much.

I went to Mark Dayton's website where I found a statement he gave on the floor of the Senate about the late Senator from Minnesota, Paul Wellstone. In the speech he mentions he'd been a close personal friend of Paul Wellstone for 20 years - they'd worked and campaigned with each other.

As you remember Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash shortly after being very critical of the war on Iraq and called for an independant 9/11 commision. This plane crash has many curious circumstances surrounding it.

Mark Dayton supported the non-partisan 9/11 commision too.

Senator Dayton has been critical of the war on Iraq and voted against it.

I'm sure it's merely coincedental the only man closing his Capitol Hill office because he's worried about an imminent terrorist attack was a close friend of a man that died under the circumstances that he did. It's an interesting fact none-the-less.